


Fall Afternoon

by alextheghostdrummer



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Fluff, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:21:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24673012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alextheghostdrummer/pseuds/alextheghostdrummer
Summary: katara goes to her favorite coffee shop and is pleasently surprised
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	Fall Afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> ok so this is my first atla fan fic ever :) hope you enjoy

The late afternoon barely sets in as Katara walks down the busy streets of her hometown. It’s mid-October and the leaves are growing more orange by the day, she notices as one floats until it reaches the ground, on a puddle of rain water, as she enters her favorite coffee shop. At this time of year, the weather is a bit chilly and though the spring is beautiful, there’s something about the cold that draws her in. 

The shop is crowded; not unusual for time the or day but disappointing since she craved some peace whilst enjoying some caffeine. The girl makes her way through the loudness and people towards the line. She spots the multiple dark green and white boards behind the counter that serve as a makeshift menu. The dim yellow lights make it harder for her to read them. As she squints her bright blue eyes to take a better look at them she realizes something: “He’s new”, she mumbles to herself as she beholds the sight before her. Under the sign was a tall, perhaps slightly older boy, amber eyes – or is the lightning? - broad shoulder and strong hands as he is passing through his busy colleagues with a white mug in hand. Only the movement of the person in front her snaps her out of her own thoughts. Suddenly, she forgot what she was doing and why. Katara attempts to recollect herself; she was here to get warmth from food and beverages. She stared idly at the board, in an effort to remind herself of her usual drink. The line moves moderately. Her face is flustered front a mixture of overheat, anxiety and frustration, and she tries to loosen her scarf’s grip. It dawns on her: “Black tea. Muffin”, as if someone whispered those words in her ear. The young woman is the third person in line, which means soon she’ll be able to take a better look at the black-haired boy. But then again, this task might not be an easy one.

There are too many baristas and waiters to count, especially when they move as a distraught swarm of bees in and out of their hive. Her eyes move rapidly from face to face until she is greeted by the kind eyes of the boy she now fancies. They exchange an awed look for a matter of seconds when he shifts his attention towards a costumer, unintelligible mouthing things to them. She swore before the moment was dismantled his cheeks turned red. With a lowered head, she smiled at that image. Then the cashier calls for the next person. It’s her, she is next. The attendant offers a polite smile and welcomes her. The teenager quickly makes her order, only stuttering once when she got a glimpse of the boy moving quickly behind the dark-head pale-skinned cashier. She must’ve notice Katara’s stares: “He’s Zuko, by the way”, she affirms after giving the girl her change. Bewildered, and now wide-eyed, Katara simply saunters to the vicinity of a currently unoccupied table with a single chair. 

Slouching onto the chair, the young woman sighs, exhausted from the chain of events that succeeded each other from the moment she went through the door. “So much for feeling at ease, right?”, she huffs as laugh. Immediately she remembers: the boy, Zuko. She straightens her posture, and cautiously search the room. He moves towards the counter. She sighs, now it was up to fate for them have an interaction. She was willingly to give ask him out only, if given the opportunity. The blue-eyed girl silently prayed to the Gods that they would spare her that chance. Her reverent petitions are interrupted by soft spoken words:

“Blueberry muffin and black tea”, said Zuko, setting her table 

She looks up, searching his face and oh, my, he is so beautiful. 

“Thank you, Zuko”, she replies

He furrows his brows a bit and before his whole face twists in one single well – connected frown, she explains herself by pointing at his name. His chin meets his chest and he, gazing downwards, and he exhales: “Right”, he proceeds to looks at her, “If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to call me”

She nods in compliance and he goes about his afternoon shift.

Katara feels an odd urge to face-palm her own tanned face. “God, I’m so dumb”, she mutters quietly, dissatisfied with her own actions, or better yet, lack thereof. She tries to distract herself with hot tea and sweets. She has to wait now, trying to get his attention would only seem desperate now. 

As the last crumble of her muffin falls onto her ceramic plate, she feels ready to confront the pretty waiter/ barista. She exams the room once again until she spots black bangs dancing swiftly. She lifts her arms and hand barely over her head; finger tips and pupils at same height. She can only hope he spots her. And he does. Her hand gestures, calling out to him.

“Hey, Katara. Can I help you with something?”, he inquires sweetly

“Yeah, actually. I was just wondering if you have plans for this Saturday”

His brow furrow, it appeared to be the barista’s favorite facial expression for confusion.

“You know, like a date”, the teenage girl concludes, shrugging 

“Oh”, he answered, bewildered 

“If you don’t want to, it’s fine, I just-“, she tried to explain

“I’d love to”, he utters, cracking a small grin

“Really?”, she inquires in a hopeful tone

Zuko shuffles with one hand through his apron’s cavernous front pocket, and with the other he takes a small pen from a pocket on his shirt. He scribbles numbers on the tiny notebook and nudges it over to Katara.

“That’s my number. Text me when you can, ok?”, he says

“See you Saturday”, she grins easily at the whole interaction

Saturday was going to be excitedly awaited for both parties.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it!   
> i'm on tumblr @chillyourtitseatnoodles


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